Year of the Sixth
by Konflickted
Summary: Lily's trying to have a good year. Now if she could just stop ending up the brunt of the Marauder's pranks, and figure out what's going on with her best friends she'd be a happier witch.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I only wish I created something as cool as this world. Alas, I can only claim the plot behind this tale...

A/N: All negative comments will be burned.

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**Flesh and Blood

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**

I sat on the floor of my parents' living room, surrounded by a million multicolored balloons, blowing each one up with such careful breaths that I had yet to pop a single one. If I had been seventeen, I could have waved my wand and magically decorated my living room. Since I wouldn't turn seventeen until January, I was left to blow up the balloons manually. I glanced up at the clock. It was nearly tea time, and my parents would be home. This was supposed to be an early gift to my sister, Petunia, to celebrate her recent engagement to Vernon Dursley.

"Lily, you home?" a voice called out from the foyer.

"Back here, Severus," I called cheerily. I looked up as the dark haired boy lumbered into the room, as if his legs and body weren't quite in tune with each other yet. He smiled almost shyly at me and I laughed. He had been like that since the day we met when we were just little children, long before I knew I was a witch. He had been the one to tell me, and I never doubted him.

"Um, what are you doing?" Severus asked as he stood almost uncomfortably in the doorway. He never really felt comfortable if my family was about, and he didn't exactly get along with Petunia as well as I had hoped.

"Blowing up balloons for my sister's engagement," I said as I brought another brightly colored balloon to my mouth.

"That portly fellow," Severus said. I rolled my eyes and fought not to laugh. Vernon was a thick necked, round man. He reminded me vaguely of an overstuffed pig, with his judgmental, beady eyes and that overly style blond hair. He reminded me of the fat candle maker from my children's book Petunia and I would read late at night, except the candle maker smiled and Vernon did not.

"You can stay, if you want," I offered as I tied off the balloon. He shuddered slightly.

"Your sister and I don't exactly get along," he reminded me needlessly.

"Severus, I'm not asking you to seduce her or even be her friend," I replied as the door opened and my parents' voices wafted back to me.

"Did you get the cake?" I asked jumping up off the floor excitedly. I had all the other food prepared, but I had ordered the cake from Le Fleur, a French bakery that Petunia and I both loved to go to as children. The owners, French emigrants, would always give us a pastry or custard for probably a lot less than they'd normally sell them for.

"We did," my mother said. She and Petunia favored each other, whereas I looked like our father. He grinned at me as I peered in to the cake box. It was perfect, and I clapped my hands like an excited little child.

"It's perfect!" I exclaimed as I lead the way towards the buffet I had spread out. Petunia would be arriving anytime now with her fiancé in tow. I had invited a few of Petunia's closest girl friends, or I would have if I had known who Petunia's closest girl friends were.

"I'll see you later, Lily," Severus said quietly. I had honestly forgotten that he was there and I turned to look at him apologetically.

"Severus Snape," my mother said with a pleasant smile. "Why don't you stay for tea? Petunia will be home and I know the three of you used to play so well together when you were children." Severus shot me a look, one of his eyebrows hiking up until it was nearly hidden in the dark frame of hair that made him look almost ghastly pale.

"I'd love to, Mrs. Evans, but I promised my father that I would stack up the firewood," Severus said glancing down almost as quickly as he had met my mother's eyes.

"Will I see you later?" I asked as I followed him to the door. He turned and looked at me, a slight smile on his face.

"Try to keep me away," he teased nervously and laughed. I laughed along with him, and heat rose to his cheeks. I closed the door before he reached the front gate and headed back to the balloons. Petunia would be home soon, and I wanted the room to be perfect, the party to be perfect.

Time continued to tick on, the chimes sounding out from the grandfather clock in the hall. The windows darkened and the street lamps came on, lighting the night as the crickets chirped. I stared at the door, almost willing my older sister to come home. With each passing moment, I grew more and more worried. Was she dead? Did Vernon have car trouble? My father came up beside me and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Your mother says that we should go on and eat," Dad said quietly. I looked up him almost bewildered. This was supposed to be a party for Petunia and we couldn't start without her. I wanted to ask him how he could eat when Petunia had probably drowned in the old pond or been run down by wild horses, but I didn't.

I ate soundlessly, glancing up at the clock every couple of minutes and not tasting a thing I put in my mouth. I swung between being worried for my sister's well being and being angry that she hadn't rung to tell us she'd be late. She knew she had a party, a feast, waiting for her and Vernon. What if something had happened to her? I chewed on one of my fingernails in anxiousness as I climbed the stairs to my room and began to change into my night dress. I heard the door open downstairs, and for a moment I imagined the police standing there, solemn as they delivered the news.

I heard the most beautiful sound ever, the peal of my older sister's laughter float up the stairs, tinkling like glass. I jerked my robe on, not bothering to tie it as I rushed down the stairs. I stood there, uncertain if I should be relieved that she was alive and a little tipsy or if I should be angry that she had missed the engagement party that I had spent all day preparing for. Vernon was there, apologizing to my father for Petunia's state.

"…and my new boss's wife insisted that Petunia try the Merlot…" Vernon prattled on to my dad as my mother brought Petunia a glass of something. My sister's eyes were glassy and she looked a bit startled. She giggled again at nothing and I looked to her as she looked at me.

"My sister! My perfect little sister," Petunia slurred out gleefully. "Betcha never woulda gotten into that school if you were normal."

"Petunia," my mother chastised but Petunia either didn't hear her or didn't care. Petunia stood and stumbled towards me.

"I love the little freak," Petunia said with a high pitched giggle as she slung her arm around me. "I mean, if I didn't, wouldn't I have let her rot away under the stairs when she got trapped there?"

"I made you a dinner," I said hesitantly. "Remember? The engagement party?"

"Awe… my little witchy sister made me a party," Petunia said as she sloshed her drink out of the glass my mother gave her. She lowered her mouth to my ear, as if to whisper something and instead her voice came out in a small shout. "Why don't cha wave your little wand around and get this party started."

"Petunia…" my father said with such a stern voice it shocked me to hear it coming from him. He was more like me, at least the real me. I was firm, but never really raised my voice or lost my temper.

"Vernon agrees with me," Petunia tossed out in response. "Witches should be burned at the stake, like in the old days."

I don't know what was said after that. I had pulled away from my sister in horror and fled out the house, shoving the gate open so hard that the rusted hinge gave way and the gate clattered to the ground. I didn't know where I was going, my feet just carried me down the broken sidewalk until I stopped and found myself standing in the little clearing by the lake where we all played as children. I hugged the tree, heartbroken that my sister, my own flesh and blood hated me and my kind so much that she thought I should be burned at the stake.

"Lily?" Severus asked as if he wasn't certain it was me. I looked back over my shoulder, still holding onto the tree for support.

"Yeah, it's me," I said finally letting go and wiping my face with my hands. I hadn't realized that I had been crying.

"Why in Merlin's wardrobe are you running around barefoot and in your night clothes?" Severus asked as he pulled off his jacket and held it out to me. I looked down at my thin cotton night gown, the hem brushing the middle of my thighs, the belt still loose on my robe. I took the jacket and put it on, trying to maintain any last semblance of modesty as I took a seat in the grass. Severus followed suit, the two of us staring up at the full moon above.

"Petunia came home tipsy and she said I should be burned at the stake," I said. It was quiet between us for a moment and Severus laughed.

"That is the most ridiculous thing ever. You could just freeze the flame," he reminded me. I thought on that for a moment and laughed. He was right. I could. I laughed, my laughter shaky and thick from my tears.

"Still," I said after we fell silent. "She meant it as she thought I should be dead."

"Alcohol does strange things to otherwise well meaning people. You'll see, when she sobers up. She didn't mean what she said. That was the alcohol talking," Severus said quietly. I didn't say anything, I already knew. Since his mother, a witch, died his father, a muggle, had been drowning in his sorrows and cheap liquor. Severus had bruises that showed how much the alcohol 'talked'. I often wondered why he never fought back or used magic, but I never asked him. I assumed he'd tell me if I wanted to know.

"I guess," I sighed after a moment.

"We'd better get you home," Severus said as we both stood. "Just three more days, and we start our sixth year of Hogwarts."

"Think you'll ever get the courage to ask out your mystery girl?" I taunted playfully as we walked side by side towards my house.

"Think that git, Potter, will give up on you being his?" Severus said with slightly less playfulness. I could practically taste the undertones of anger and bitterness on his words but made no mention to them. It was no secret that James Potter and Severus Snape loathed each other and I was not about to bring it up again. It was bad enough I couldn't get James Potter to leave me alone. The last thing I needed was one of my best friends angry at me over it.

"Save me a seat on the bus to King's Crossing?" I asked with a desire to change the subject. Severus laughed, the sound constrained as he nodded once.

"Don't I always?" he commented.

"Yes," I said. I looked at my house with dread. "That is, if my sister doesn't have me lynched or burned at the stake before then." Severus laughed again, the sound was lighter. "Just remember the spell 'Impedimenta Incendio' to stop or slow the fire."

"Nice," I said sarcastically as I moved to take Severus' jacket off. I held it out to him, his hand closing on it.

"If you ever need anything, Lily, I'm just a few doors away," he said with a smile.

"At least until we get back to the castle," I teased.

"We're both prefects, I'm sure that we're still just as available for one another," he said and I shook my head.

"I feel it, a change in the air," I said not making much sense to me. I shivered in the cooling night. Whatever I said, or perhaps the weather, caused Severus to shudder as well.

"Good night, Lily," he said quietly and stepped away.

"Good night, Severus," I said. I looked at him walking away and called out to him. "Be careful."

"I always am," he said without looking back at me. I couldn't explain it. I could feel him trying to tighten his grasp on me (and me him) while at the same time, I felt as if the world was ready to rip him from me. I shivered again and headed in through the front door to find a sobbing Petunia waiting, still tipsy and disheveled.

"Lily, my lovely little Lily," Petunia cried encircling my neck with her boney arms and burying her face in my neck. She sniffled and sobbed, soaking my robe. "I am so sorry. I couldn't… I'd never…"

"It's ok, Tuney," I promised as I patted her shoulder. "I know."

"I just never would…" she sobbed as she pulled away from me. She hiccupped.

"I know, I know," I said nodding as my mother took her from me. Mom looked at me apologetically and led my sister up the stairs.

"Don't mind her," my father said quietly as he stood beside me. "Your sister loves you. She means well, even if she's not always…"

"Eloquent?" I offered. He chuckled that deep, warm laugh that reminded me of summers at my Gram's house with the way it wrapped around you and made you feel safe.

"That's my girl," Dad said as he mussed my hair. "Now off to bed with you, missy. You need your rest."

"You're just worried that I won't get a good night's sleep once I'm back at school," I accused playfully as I began up the stairs.

"I worry about you always," he reminded me with a laugh. "Good night, Lily."

"Good night, Daddy," I said feeling only six years old instead of sixteen. I wish I could say that I climbed into bed and fell right to sleep, a peaceful sleep, but I didn't. I spent the night tossing and turning, dreaming about being forced to live under the stairs and being burned at the stake. Somewhere in all that, there was James and Severus fighting and the sound of a baby crying.


	2. Chapter 2

Disc.: Of course the plot is all that is mine.

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The Good-bye Train

I had kissed my parents and sister good bye, ready to head off for my sixth year of Hogwarts. Petunia had fallen over herself in embarrassment my last few days around the house. She had apologized several times, saying that she loved me and would never want anything bad to happen to me, witch or not. It wasn't exactly one-hundred percent her approval of me, but I suppose it was the best that she could do. She was, after all, my sister and I couldn't let a little thing like a few hurtful words said while inebriated ruin our relationship.

Severus was waiting for me that early morning, a smile on his face and his battered trunk behind him. Neither he nor I had a pet or broom, just our older, worn trunks and our selves. He waited until I made it to the corner at the end of the street, one less traveled, before he pulled his wand out from inside his robe. Checking to make sure that no one was out to bear witness, he stuck his wand out. With a crack, a triple decker bus pulled to a stop in front of us and the doors opened with a rush. Severus waved his hand towards the bus.

"Ladies first," Severus said as he looked at me. I stepped forward, dragging my trunk onto the bus before anyone could try and help me with it. Some call it stubbornness, but I like to think of myself as a modern woman of sorts. I even kill my own spiders, if the job calls for it.

"Cozy," I said as I took one of the many arm chairs on the bus. Magical bus seating is quite different than muggle, and these chairs were just part of it.

"What'd you end up bringing for the train?" Severus asked as he took the chair nearest me. An older wizard snored unperturbed by our presence.

"Pepper cheese and wheat bread," I said, thinking to the lunch my mother packed. "You?"

"Corned beef," he said with a shrug that meant nothing or something. I never could tell.

"Good choice," I laughed and settled back against the seat without much effort. The bus jerked through the streets as if being tugged by a petulant child having a fit.

"King's Cross," the bus conductor said. My eyes widened.

"Oh, my ticket, I forgot to…" I said as I immediately remembered not paying my fare for the bus. I begun to dig around in my robes, looking for the bus money I had brought on me. It wasn't like me to forget! Severus reached across the space and patted my arm.

"No need to worry, Lily. I paid," Severus said.

"Let me pay you back, Severus," I insisted trying to hand him some money. He refused to take it, getting a little upset at the notion. Guiltily, I put the money back in my robe pocket. My parents weren't rich, but they did ok for the most part. I knew that Severus scraped for every single pound he had. Our books were always second hand, as was much of everything else. My robes were just a notch above used, and some of his were downright shabby. I knew he hated to be reminded how poor he really was, even by me, especially by me.

"Let me help you with your trunk," Severus said as we began to exit the Knight's Bus. I didn't protest, already feeling pretty crummy for being so ungrateful that he remembered something I had forgotten.

Severus placed our trunks upon a trolley and the two of us walked silently to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. There were people all around us, some pushing past each other. Everyone seemed like they were in a hurry to get where they were going. It was unusually cool for September first, but not even the weather could stop the big scarlet train from taking us to the land of magic and mystery.

Platform nine and three quarters was bustling with students, some dressed already in their school robes, others still clinging to their muggle wear. Parents were embracing first year students, readying to leave the nest. Some were crying, some were laughing, and some were being insanely obnoxious. Over the din of the platform, as Severus moved our trunks toward the prefect's carriage, I could hear the boisterous laughs of Sirius Black and James Potter. I stood on tiptoe for a second, trying to see them down toward the other end of the platform. I could see Remus Lupin laughing, though I knew I'd never be able to hear his soft chuckles over this noise. Peter Pettigrew, their small, chubby friend was cackling like an old witch, heard only in memory.

"Lily!" Alice Prewitt called excitedly. I easily heard her over the noise. I probably could have heard her over deafness, as loud as her volume was sometimes set. I turned as she crashed into me, arms wrapping around her. My body had already braced itself automatically. I had been knocked on my bum too many times by an overly exuberant Alice over the years to not be prepared.

"Alice!" I said with nearly the same excitement. My voice didn't carry as loudly as hers, nor was it quite as head turning. I was definitely the quiet one between us two, but anything was quieter than Alice.

I guess I kind of forgot about Severus standing there. It wasn't intentional, I swear. Alice launched into a long, drawn out plot to land a date with Frank Longbottom that year. I didn't quite understand it, to be honest. He wasn't a bad looking boy, not at all, but he was so painfully shy. He was the anti-Alice, and yet she was determined. I once asked her why she didn't just ask him out and you'd have thought I had suggested she set her hair on fire. For as forward thinking as Alice was, she still refused to be the first to ask the boy out.

I laughed a lot as Alice started talking about brewing a love potion. Alice's forte wasn't potions. One of the last potions she brewed in class had ended up smelling like rancid meat. I only recalled it because James had blamed the smell on Severus's hair, which had made me want to curse James back into the Stone Age. Severus had beat me to it and dumped worm wood into James and Sirius' cauldron as he walked by, congealing the failing potion into a semi-solid state and failing them on the lesson.

"Alice, no," I said as she looked at me with her plotting eyes.

"I didn't ask you to do anything," Alice said with such false innocence that I knew she was thinking up a way to include me in her plan.

"Not yet," I reminded her. She fought and lost to conceal her grin.

"But Lily," Alice whined. "You're so good at potions. You're Slughorn's favorite student, top of our potions. You are like a potion princess!"

"I am not," I said shaking my head.

"Yeah, you are," Alice said. "If Slughorn could have had you teach the class, he would! You should so be a Potion's Master."

"We've been over this a million times," I frowned. "I want to be an Auror."

"Lily," Remus said as he approached with a smile on his face. I half-hugged him in greeting, mindful not to look at the group he had just left behind.

"How was your summer, Remus?" I asked with such glee that I had derailed Alice's attempt to talk me out of pursuing the job as an Auror. I knew it was dangerous, especially during these dark times, but it was what I wanted to do. I didn't want to try and convince her, nor did I want to explain it yet again.

"It was good," Remus said with a warm smile. When he smiled, it was hard not to smile back. He could be infectious, and I wondered why he never dated. I mean, sure, Sirius dated enough for the four of them, but still. "How was yours? Do anything interesting?"

"Mine was pleasantly uneventful," I said. It was true. I had hung around Petunia all summer except when she was with her fiancé. I spent a lot of time with Severus. Thoughts of him reminded me that he was standing right there and I looked for him, but he had long since headed onto the train with our trunks and settled down in the prefects' carriage. "If you'll excuse me."

I didn't wait for Alice or Remus' responses, just turned and headed on the train with determination. Severus was sitting on a bench, staring out over the sea of people giving their good-byes. I didn't ask if I could sit, nor if he was ok. I just sat down across from him and studied his face. He was pale, painfully so, despite the bit of time we spent outside reading under the hemlock trees together. I waited until he acknowledged me, waiting to speak, but he never did. The whistle of the train sounded and people hurried onto the train as it geared up, ready to pull away from the station. A few teary waves good-bye from the parents, and the train was off. Destination: Hogwart's School of Magic.


	3. Chapter 3

Disc.: Of course I didn't create this world.

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Sorting Out

There is always something thrilling about the sorting ceremony. It is one of my many favorite things to bear witness to at Hogwarts. Severus and I both nodded silently at each other as we parted, still not having talked to one another. I was pretty sure that it was my fault this time, but I was too busy at the moment to try and fix it. Sometimes time is all that is needed, and I hoped that this was one of those times.

Alice and I made our way through the Great Hall, towards the Gryffindor table. I had wanted to sit closer to the professor's table, but Alice wanted to sit close to Frank, to try and catch his eye. We eased along the throngs of students making their way to the tables, eager to tuck into the feast. Alice stood on her tip toes, trying to look around a rather large seventh year girl until she spotted Frank. Reaching back, Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me through the group of loiterers and headed straight for where Frank was already seated. I groaned internally as I saw the group he was sitting with.

It was appropriate, no complaint, that Frank would sit with his roommates, but why did his roommates have to include Sirius Black and James Potter? Alice pushed me forward so that when we sat, she would be positioned directly across for Frank. I sat, not minding sitting between Remus and Alice, but I wasn't too fond of my view. James grinned as I tried not to make a big deal about him sitting across from me. Sirius was going on and on about his visit with his newly wedded cousin, Andromeda.

"…and she's expecting a half-blood, so you know my whole family's up in arms," Sirius said not realizing that Alice and I had sat down. "Personally, I'm thrilled for her. I don't know that I'd have the guts to be so bold as to marry a muggle, but you can't choose who you fall in love with."

"No, you can't," James said with a cheeky grin. Sirius glanced over at me.

"Lily, Alice," Sirius greeted us with an almost identical grin. I turned towards Frank, eager to get the attention off of me in any capacity.

"So, Frank," I said. "What did you do this summer?"

"Um, well, I spent a lot of time with my, er, mother," Frank said quietly. His cheeks were slightly pink from embarrassment. He was in all the same classes I was in, for the most part, in preparation to be an Auror, though honestly I couldn't see it. Auror was so opposite his demeanor. I knew that he was the only reason that Alice was on the same career path, though she'd probably never follow through. Once she landed Frank, she'd move on. It was a means to an end.

"That's really nice," I said genuinely. I liked Frank. He was such a kind person, and I could imagine him helping his widowed mother out around the house all summer, or perhaps they had gone to the beach while on holiday.

"It was fun," Frank admitted meeting my eyes with a slight smile. "We went down to Cutter's Cove and fished some. I hung out with a bunch of the townies there and made some great friends."

"Aren't you going to ask us what we did this summer?" James asked with a grin. I turned my attention to him reluctantly, almost hesitantly, and opened my mouth to speak but Professor Dumbledore stood and called us all to silence. I closed my mouth, saved from James' monologue, and directed my attention the leader of our establishment. I grinned at that thought, always impressed at how he carried himself. Professor Dumbledore was one of the kindest, wisest wizards ever, in my opinion.

The Sorting Hat was brought forward complete with a little three legged stool for the first years to perch upon and be sorted. My heart quickened in anticipation. I remembered my own first year, my own sorting. Every year, it felt the same. My heart would race, my mouth would go dry, and I would hold my breath as each new student sat upon the stool with their fate in the hat. Each year, it would sing us a little song and then sort.

Our ten newest Gryffindors were bright eyed still with the freshness of wonderment. I hoped that they would all retain that light in their eyes, and I hoped that I still could conjure that excitement in my own from time to time. Someone kicked me under the table as Professor Dumbledore stood to address.

"OUCH!" I exclaimed loudly, causing a few people in my area to look my way and giggle. I jerked my head to look at James who looked surprised and apologetic in the same look.

"Sorry, wrong person," he said flashing me a grin. I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to Professor Dumbledore who seemed to have been waiting for the two of us to finish our trivial exchange. I blushed, the heat burning the apples of my cheeks as Professor Dumbledore's eyes met mine and he smiled. He announced the start of dinner and magically our tables filled with food. I still gasped in wonderment, certain that I would never grow complacent at the magic.

I reached for a roll but James' hand got their first, closing on the one I was reaching for. He held it up wordlessly to offer it to me, but I took a different one and placed it upon my place. Nothing personal, but I really didn't want his grubby hands on my food. I had glimpsed their dormitory last year and just sitting across from him made me wonder if I'd catch anything from them. By the end of last year, they had to wade into their dormitory and Remus had joked that there was a pile under Sirius' bed that growled at them when they tried to clean it up, so they left it. I didn't doubt it.

"So, your cousin made Head Girl," I said to Sirius cordially. If I was going to sit with them, at least I was going to talk to them. I hated eating in silence, though I wasn't a match for the excited chatter of the first years.

"Did she?" Sirius asked shrugging.

"Didn't you know? I'd have thought that you guys would have celebrated Narcissa making Head Girl," I said in surprise. Sirius looked over his shoulder at his cousin, Narcissa, and his younger brother.

"No, I didn't know," Sirius said with another casual shrug.

"Sirius' been living with me since last year," James said mimicking that same careless casual attitude that I could never pulled off. I glanced at James then at Sirius.

"Ah," I said and took a bite. The conversation had crashed and burned, so I focused on my meal and let Peter ramble on, stuttering a lot as he talked about his trip to Canada over the Summer holiday. I nodded politely, thankful there wasn't much input needed by me so I could eat.

"I can't eat another bite," Alice said grinning as she pushed her plate away. "I feel like I ate like a pig. I'll probably bloat up and gain ten pounds, just from that meal."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," I promised her as our plates cleared and Professor Dumbledore addressed us, giving all the same warnings we got each year. These would be the same warnings that the Marauders took as a personal challenge every year. When he was done speaking, we were dismissed and I stood.

"See you later," James said to Alice and I as we began to walk away. I glanced back at him to find the corner of his mouth pulled up in a half grin before he and Sirius headed off in the opposite direction.

"Two galleons that James or Sirius gets detention by Friday," I murmured. Alice glanced back and then laughed.

"Three that they get it by the end of the night," Alice bet. I laughed.

"Deal," I agreed.

We headed towards the Gryffindor tower, ignoring the smaller students as we headed through. The portrait was wide open, password uttered: Cobwebs. It wasn't that original, but when Gryffindor was having a mini prefect meeting to come up with a password our seventh year prefect, Michelle, went to lean against the wall of the carriage room we were in and put her hand in a thick cobweb. Silly, but we all got a good laugh off of it.

I opened the door to our dormitory and took a deep breath. It smelled like home, not like my muggle home but my home away from home. It smelled like Hogwarts. I crossed into the room, ignoring my roommates, Cecilia, Bethany, and Pip. The three were practically the same person. At a glance, they could be mistake for each other even though they weren't even related. They had varying shades of blond hair, though I wondered if Pip's came from a bottle. It was so pale white.

"So, girls, what's the plan this year?" Cecilia asked as she propped her face up on her hands.

"Plan?" I asked. She nodded.

"You know, to get Alice and Frank together?" Bethany reminded me as if I should have already guessed that was what they were talking about.

"I was thinking about brewing a love potion," Alice started going over her plan and I headed to my own bed, opening my trunk and pulling out my clothes. I started hanging them up in the wardrobe.

"You do realize that you'll probably poison Frank with any potion that you'd brew," Pip said with a giggle.

"That's why Lily has to help me," Alice said dragging me back into the conversation.

"No way," I said.

"Awe… do you really want Alice to kill Frank?" Bethany said and her tone was a bit off, as if she had practiced that line over and over, trying different inflections. I glanced at the girls, and groaned.

"You set me up, didn't you?" I accused Alice lightly. "You talked them into trying wear me down, didn't you?"

"Lily, I would never! I am so… insulted… at the accusation," Alice said with mock indignantly. I rolled my eyes.

"Alice," I said raising an eyebrow at her. She folded.

"OK, ok, yeah. I asked them to help me, but they get it! They know what it's like to be so in love with a guy. I can't think of life without Frank, and he's not even my boyfriend," Alice said with desperation. "See, Lily? I'm sick! I need help!"

"Yeah, you do need help," I admitted fighting a laugh. "But nothing I could offer you. Maybe a long stint in St. Mungo's would do you a world of good."

"That's not funny!" Alice interjected. "Now, if I end up there it's on your hands, Lily Evans. On your hands!"

"Sure, fine," I laughed. "Blame me if you end up in St. Mungo's, if you must."

"Please, Lily," Alice begged me, dropping to her knees and grabbing the front of my robes. Pip, Bethany, and Cecilia moved toward me and repeated the action, causing me to laugh.

"Please, Lily," they mimicked with the same sad desperation. I laughed harder and brushed their hands away.

"Fine, fine. I'll see what I can do," I said begrudgingly. "But if this backfires, I don't want to hear about it."

"Yay!" The girls all cheered as they stood.

"I'm going to regret this," I muttered to myself despite my smile. Plotting rarely worked out, and I doubted that this would be one of those times that it would. I resumed unpacking my trunk, eager to get out of my robes and into my bed clothes. I was, as always, eager to start the first official day of lessons, and tomorrow night I would have patrol. I loved patrol almost as much as I loved my lessons.


	4. Chapter 4

Disc.: I didn't create it.

* * *

Potions

Alice and I sat near Frank that next morning for breakfast, which meant that we were sitting near the Marauders again. It wasn't too bad, that morning, sitting with them. They still looked half asleep, and thus weren't up to no good. YET. I ate my eggs slowly, reading the Daily Prophet while Alice tried to catch Frank's eye. I folded the paper in half.

"So, Sirius, James," I said pleasantly. They both looked at me at the same time, as if their moves were synchronized. It was the weirdest thing.

"Yes?" James said with suspicion and surprise. It made me smile, despite my not wanting to encourage James.

"Did either of you get detention last night?" I asked as I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand and looking at him. He swallowed audibly, and if I didn't know better, I'd have said that James was nervous. He frowned.

"No," James said as he shot Sirius a look. Sirius shrugged.

"Pay up, Alice," I said poking Alice in the shoulder.

"Bloody hell," Alice grumbled dropping three galleons in my out stretched hand.

"You bet that we'd get detention last night?" James asked incredulously.

"No, I bet you'd get it by the end of the week," I said. "Alice raised the stakes and said you get it last night."

Frank laughed. I had heard him laugh but nothing like this. He was shaking with the laughter, holding his sides as tears spilled out of his eyes. He had a laugh like my father's laugh, one that was warm and genuine. I couldn't help it, I started laughing with him. The two of us were the only two people laughing, though Alice had chuckled a bit. I couldn't blame her for not laughing. She had just lost three galleons.

"These two have you two pegged," Frank said grinning.

"You have such little faith in us," Sirius said with mock indignation.

"Try not to get detention," Alice pleaded with James and Sirius. James looked at me for a long moment before returning his attention to Alice.

"Get Lily to go out with me, and we'll both stay out of detention," James promised.

"Hey!" I protested. "I'm not dating you, James Potter."

"I wasn't asking you," James pointed out. He turned to face me, his hazel eyes capturing my eyes for a moment before looking back to Alice. "I'm just making a deal with one of my friends, right Alice?"

"Er," Alice said uncertain. Sirius laughed and leaned forward.

"C'mon Alice," Sirius said turning on his full charm on Alice. Her words died on her lips. To be honest, I had never seen anyone win against Sirius' charm. I, luckily, had never been put to the test. I couldn't be certain that I would be able to fight his drowning eyes. Thank Merlin Sirius had never looked at me the way he was currently looking at Alice. I might have thrown some undergarments at him if he asked.

"That's not very nice," I said, careful not to meet James' eyes. "Getting Sirius to do your dirty work. I'm surprised you don't just stare Alice down until she agrees."

"I'm saving those looks for you," James said with a smirk.

"Let's play nice, children," Remus said. His words were jovial, but his tone was no nonsense. Sirius turned back to his breakfast and Alice looked a little dazed for a moment. Beautiful men shouldn't look be looked at in the eyes, even one as annoying as Sirius Black.

"You're not my type," Alice said once she finally regained control of her mind. Sirius looked up, chewing, thankfully, with his mouth closed. He swallowed and half smirked at her.

"Oh, I know exactly what your type is, Alice Prewitt," Sirius said with an air of arrogance. Alice's eyes flickered to Frank for a moment and even Sirius couldn't hide the look of surprise. I groaned aloud. Sirius had been bluffing, setting her up for a trap, and Alice had walked right into it.

"Alice," I moaned quietly. "No, Alice."

"What?" She asked slightly confused.

"We'd better head to class," Remus said. He stood, as did Frank. Sirius watched with an evil glint in his eyes.

"You go on ahead, Alice," I urged and she walked out with Remus, Peter, and Frank. I waited until they were at least out of hearing distance before I turned to Sirius.

"Yes?" he said with an arrogant smile.

"Don't you dare say a thing to Frank," I threatened. Sirius laughed.

"Or what?" Sirius challenged. He crossed his arms across his chest as if he had already won. I faltered. What would I do if Sirius told Frank that Alice liked him? If they ended up together, then I'd owe him one. On the other hand, if Sirius mentioned it and Frank headed for the hills, I truly believed that Alice would be heartbroken. As mismatched at they were, she really liked him.

"Or…" I tried to muster some sort of threat that would have an effect on Sirius. I came up empty handed and sighed. I tried to put on a sympathetic face and leaned towards him. "Please, Sirius, don't say anything to Frank."

"I'm still not convinced," Sirius said with a shrug. I growled in frustration and stood, turning to look at James.

"You two are the most annoying people I know!" I accused as I grabbed my knapsack.

"Hey, what did I do?" James demanded as he and Sirius followed suit and followed me out of the Great Hall.

"You…" I thought for a moment. Ok, so he hadn't done anything yet. He hadn't made it seem like he was going to tell Frank, but then again, he hadn't said he wasn't, and he hadn't told Sirius not to say anything, either. "Forget it!"

I wanted to stick my tongue out at them but I didn't. Instead I stalked away towards the dungeons for potions. Ah, double potions first thing in the morning! One of the finer joys in life and I couldn't enjoy it because I knew that I would be worried that all through the class Sirius would be telling Frank that Alice liked him. I hated drama, and this was the worst kind. I entered the classroom, checked the seating chart, and took my seat towards the front.

The seat next to me pulled back noisily and Sirius' cheeky little grin came into view as he sat down. I frowned and he grinned bigger. I glanced around the class, running the roster through my head. Everyone was taking seats in an alphabetical manner. Alice and James were at the same table. I presumed Peter hadn't even pulled off the bare minimum to be included in the class. How Alice had made it was by sure luck on her O.W.L.s, I'm sure.

I scooted my chair a little away from Sirius and turned my back, hoping to convey the message that I did not want to talk to him about anything. Two hours of Sirius every day was going to put me into an early grave. I'd just as soon as drink a poisoned potion than endure two hours a day of Sirius. I glanced around the room to see Severus with Zebedee Smith. I gave a little wave and Severus nodded almost indistinguishably. I could understand his not wanting to draw attention to himself. Sirius and James weren't exactly the nicest people to him. I didn't understand why they hated each other so much, but I presumed it to be a stupid boy thing.

"You know, I'm not really going to say anything," Sirius after Professor Slughorn set us loose on our first assignment.

"You're not?" I asked mid slice of the newt's heart. Sirius' eyes went to the dagger and back and he grinned.

"Nah," he said and he returned to cutting his own newt's heart. "Anyways, I don't want to get within fifty kilometers of that train wreck."

"Hey, Alice and Frank would be perfect together," I whispered harshly. Sirius looked back at me with a curious look.

"She's so loud and he's so quiet," Sirius pointed.

"So? Sometimes the best relationships in life are based on the 'opposites attract' theory," I said making a face at him. Sirius contemplated that and a smiled crept across his face, as if he knew things I couldn't put my finger on, as if he could see the big picture and I could not.

"You and James," he breathed almost silently as he turned back to his cutting board. I sputtered for a second as if there were words that were fighting to escape my mouth at the same time.

"Potter and I aren't even in the same stratosphere," I finally managed in protest, the harsh whisper threatening to be louder if I let loose the control I had. Sirius lit his cauldron, as if he didn't hear me. "It's not going to happen."

"Ok," Sirius said. His word was not one of agreement in the sense he agreed with me, it was one of appeasement. He was just going along with whatever I'd say at that moment. It infuriated me more but I didn't have time to worry about Sirius and his delusional thoughts. I had a potion to recreate.

I would only admit it if asked, but Severus and I had went ahead and tried many of the potions over the summer. There were a few that needed tweaking due to errors and omissions in our potion book. While we perfected the spells, Severus had written our changes in his battered book. I later copied his notes into my book. Severus only went along with it because I asked. He wasn't very fond of potions. His forte was our Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He even created spells, but he wouldn't tell me what they were or what they did. He said that some of them were pretty bad spells that he had stumbled on unexpectedly.

I made him promise that he'd never use them, and he promised, but I secretly wondered what the spells were and what they did. I couldn't help it. It was my naturally curious side. I shrugged to myself and went back to the potion bubbling in my cauldron. It was coming along nicely and I looked up as Professor Slughorn stopped by my table.

"It's beautiful, Lily," Professor Slughorn said with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Professor," I said. He glanced into Sirius' cauldron and took a quick step back, hand to his nose.

"Mr. Black, you might want to flush that," Professor Slughorn said walking away. I glimpsed the thick, muddy substance that was starting to burn around the edges. Sirius looked to me.

"Is there a way to salvage this?" He asked. I grimaced.

"I'm not sure there's a way to salvage even the cauldron. What did you put in there?" I asked. Sirius shrugged.

"I followed the steps in the book," he explained. Even following the steps in the book should have procured a purple-ish colored potion. I glanced up to see Severus looking at Sirius laughing and I frowned. Apparently it was going to be one of those kinds of years, after all. No one had matured, yet. I was beginning to doubt that they ever would.

"Ah, yeah. Hm," I said as Professor Slughorn headed towards the front of the room.

"Everyone please fill a phial and label it before turning it in," Professor Slughorn said with a glance at the clock. I dipped my ladle into my potion, placed a stopper in my labeled phial, and carried it to the Professor's desk. I was the first to turn my potion in, and I was one of only two to turn in a perfect potion. Severus and I walked down the aisle together.

"That wasn't very nice, Severus," I whispered.

"He had it coming to him," Severus said with a shrug. I sighed as I took my seat. It was going to be one really long year.


	5. Chapter 5

Disc.: I didn't create this world, the characters. I am just borrowing them for my own devices and putting them through my own plot. Thank you to all who have noted. I do appreciate it.

* * *

Primo Incident

The rest of the day was uneventful, thankfully, and I headed out on patrol that night with a boy from Hufflepuff, Jeremy. I wasn't really familiar with him, so our mindless chatter and pleasantries were quite superficial. It was a quiet night, and an even quieter week. As Friday approached, I realized that if James or Sirius didn't get detention, I'd owe Alice two galleons. I wondered if they were behaving more now because they didn't want to get into trouble or if, perhaps, Alice had erroneously agreed to help James out. If so, they'd not get their helps-worth. James and I were just too different.

Friday morning, I waited on Alice to do her hair. She had already styled it three different ways and asked me what I thought. I personally thought she was trying too hard and should just ask Frank out, but to even mention it would have fallen on deaf ears, so I told her that it looked fine. She finally settled on pinning her hair back with silver combs and we were able to head down to the Great Hall for breakfast. I wanted to go sit close to the front, but Alice of course wanted to sit near Frank. I could read the paper either way, so I didn't complain.

"If you two get married, you'd better make me your Maid of Honor," I joked as we approached where Frank was sitting. I settled in with a plate of toast and jam, and opened the paper, trying to read the latest article by Revis Nichmon.

"Hi Lily," Sirius said playfully pulling down the top of my paper. I glanced up at him.

"Hello, Sirius," I said. I glanced down at my paper continuing to read about the need for more wide spread control of possession of dark objects in magical homes.

"Hey, Lily?" Sirius started. I glanced up.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Do you know who jinxed my potion on Monday?" Sirius asked. I frowned and tried to think back to Monday. It seemed like ages ago.

"Couldn't you just have screwed it up?" I asked hopefully. I did not want to lie, but I didn't want them retaliating against Severus. Talk about being in the middle of a rock and a hard place.

"I guess," Sirius said shaking his head. "I don't usually screw them up that bad unless Snape…"

I quickly turned my attention back to the paper as Sirius swore not quite so under his breath. I didn't want Sirius to make a scene and cost our house points, and I wasn't sure that anyone would have been able to stop Sirius if I hadn't opened my mouth and said something I thought I'd never say.

"Sirius, I was wondering where James is this morning," I said lightly, trying to make sure that there wasn't any weight behind those words. I didn't want Sirius to cost us house points, but I also didn't want to seem too interested in the whereabouts of his twin-troublemaker.

"James?" Sirius said sitting back down. I hadn't even realized that he had made a move to stand. He turned his attention to me and looked at me curiously. "Why do you want to know?"

"Why do you sound so suspicious?" I asked looking at him. He laughed.

"You're too…" Sirius said trailing off as he tried to think of the word he wanted to use.

"Perceptive?" I offered. He shook his head.

"No, accusatory," he said. I laughed.

"Did you just use a big word, Sirius Black? Maybe you should go to the hospital wing," I teased. "Although, I still think the word is perceptive."

"Very funny, Lily," Sirius said as James came up grinning.

"Lily? Funny?" he inquired as he took a seat between Sirius and Frank.

"Where have you been?" I asked. Now I was curious, because had James just been in the loo or visiting a friend in the sick ward, Sirius would have just said it.

"Oh, you know," James said dismissively. "Here and there."

"Fine, fine," I grumbled. "Don't tell me."

"Awe… did you miss me? Rethinking your stance on me, Lily?" James taunted. I laughed. I couldn't help it. I don't know if it was that pathetic hope that filled his voice or the look on his face, but I found myself laughing.

"When will you give up?" I asked finally able to make a somewhat coherent statement. I took a sip of my pumpkin juice, helping calm the laughter that had erupted from me.

"Would be believe never?" James teased. I stood and grabbed my back pack.

"Yeah, I'd believe that, James," I said as I turned and walked out of the Great Hall. I headed down to the dungeon to be one of the first people to Potions. I figured, if nothing, I could help Professor Slughorn by setting out the classroom cauldrons. Plus, I needed to grab a few ingredients from the professor's private apothecary. It would be less to explain if I just gathered the ingredients and put them in the bottom of my satchel.

To my surprise, the cauldrons were already set out. Shrugging, I stored my bag on my chair and headed towards' the professor's office, knocking on his door. I was met with silence and I turned to the store room door beside Professor Slughorn's office. I opened the door easily and stood in awe at the amazing bottles of ingredients. I hurriedly grabbed some new phials and headed back to gather some of the harder potion making things to get. I didn't think of it as stealing, not when Professor Slughorn had told me back in forth year that I was more than welcome to try my hand at any potion, and that I was welcome to raid his personal stash.

I got half of them before I heard others coming in the room. I shoved the filled phials into my blazer pocket and headed back to the main classroom area. Severus was standing there, rifling through his papers, looking for something. He glanced up with a frown.

"I can't find my Transfiguration essay," he said shaking his head. "I know I put it in here this morning, I spent all night on it."

"Could it have fallen out?" I asked as I walked closer slowly. I didn't want the phials to crack or to clink together, so I was limited on how quickly I could walk without drawing attention to myself.

"No… I don't think… no, it couldn't have fallen out," Severus said frowning angrily at his bag. He searched around in it some more.

"Take mine," I said dropping my voice to a low whisper.

"Professor McGonagall knows your handwriting, Lily," Severus said as if I had just said something utterly absurd.

"I know that," I said. "Take mine and use it to write your own. Change some things around, the wording. Just use the ideas and what not. She's used to us drawing very similar conclusions. This one time, she won't have to know."

I had already removed my pristine essay from back pack and held it out to him. Severus looked at it uncertainly. I glanced at the door as a few people were starting to trickle in. He paused before he took it and headed over to his desk. I sighed as I relieved myself of the fragile phials and wrapped them in my scarf I had tucked deep in my bag. I stored them on the side, so they wouldn't accidentally get crushed at the bottom of the bag and become contaminated.

I was still standing, arranging the items in my back pack when Sirius slid into the seat next to me. He watched as I thumbed through my books and pulled out the one I would need for today's assignment. Sirius looked at the book and wrinkled his nose. I took my seat, moving my back pack to the floor, carefully. I pulled out a quill and parchment, in case there were notes that we needed to take. I figured that with the cauldrons out it was a long shot, but still I liked to be prepared.

"Your copy is well used," Sirius said gesturing to my book. I looked at him and then to his copy.

"Have you ever opened yours?" I asked. He grinned and picked the book up, opening it with a loud creak, the sound a brand new book makes when it's not been opened often.

"Just did," Sirius said. I rolled my eyes.

"How do you do the potions in class if you don't ever open your book?" I asked as I turned to the potion we were going to work on.

"Watched you," Sirius said with a shrug. "I would have better marks if you'd go slower. I know I'm missing a bunch."

"You're not joking, are you?" I asked frowning.

"Nope," Sirius said shaking his head.

"Merlin, help us all," I muttered under my breath as I grabbed his book and flipped to the right page. His brand new book felt foreign in my hands. I had bought mine used, and since then had gone over it with a fine toothed comb. Well used was an understatement in relation to my book. I put it back in front of him and copied the few notes from my book.

"What are you writing?" Sirius asked leaning closer so that he could get a better look.

"Follow these directions to the T and you're guaranteed to have a perfect potion," I said as I backed away from him. I glanced back at Severus and was shocked to see how much rage could be conveyed in a simple look. How bad had it looked? I mean, we were only leaning towards each other for a moment, over a book. Surely that wouldn't start… rumors? I glanced around the room and became paranoid.

I turned to my cauldron and lit a fire under it as Professor Slughorn entered the room. Sure, I might have been getting ahead of myself, but nothing brews a potion better than a pre-heated cauldron. It was like baking, except that most people probably shouldn't sample their potions. We were set loose to make a happiness potion. It wasn't true happiness, no potion could make happiness, but the drinker would feel like they were the happiest person in the world. Euphoric, even.

I slowly cut up the rose thorns that went into it and measure exactly one dropper full of the venom that went into the potion. I glanced over to see that Sirius' potion was nearly the same dark blue color mine was. He glanced up and grinned before turning back to grating the dragon's scale. By the end of class, there were three phials of perfectly brewed Happiness Elixir. Severus glared outright at Sirius. Severus' eyes slipped to mine and he gestured for me to come back there.

I was just a foot away from Severus when something went flying into Zebedee Smith's cauldron. I glanced over at James and Sirius, who looked a mix between hilarity and horror. Smith's cauldron exploded, coating everyone in a three feet radius with the blue-ish green slime. I choked, scooping it out of my eyes and flinging it to the stone floor. James was struggling not to laugh, and to look apologetic but Sirius was on the floor, laughing so hard he had tears streaming down his face.

"And you helped him with his potion," Severus said in a biting tone as he held out my paper to me. It was streaked with the slime. I was still in shock, covered in slime and looking gross.

"What… what is this… stuff?" I wailed angrily.

"Oh, my…" Professor Slughorn said waddling to where we were standing. I had been the closest to the cauldron, and I got the most of it. Zebedee hadn't even been standing near his cauldron. It was clear that the explosion wasn't meant for him. Severus raised a gooey eyebrow and looked around me to the Marauders. "Lily, dear, why not go early and clean up. You too, Mr. Snape."

"Gross," one of the female Slytherins said not so quietly as I walked past. I was dripping the slime as I walked and I tried to hold my back pack with as little touching as possible. I hoped that this stuff didn't stain, because I wasn't going to be a happy camper if I had to wait for the blue-green to wear off.

"You and Black looked mighty cozy there," Severus said as we walked towards the prefect's bathroom.

"We're sitting at the same table," I reminded him.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you have a thing for him," Severus accused me. I laughed. "I saw you talking to him in the Great Hall, as well."

"Severus, he and I are just mates, ok?" I said turning to look at him. "I'd not be standing here if it wasn't for whatever petty issues you guys have."

"He's the one that decided to coat you in slime," Severus pointed out.

"I think he was aiming for you," I told him as he held open the door.

"Well, he's lucky Slughorn was there or I'd…" Severus trailed off and shook his head once. "I don't understand how you can be friends with him."

"I'm not really close to him, and you know, people say the same about my friendship with you, Severus," I said quietly as I got my first look at the damage. I looked like I had a thick coat of jell-o on me. It was disgusting and had started to harden in some places.

"And what do you say to them when they ask?" Severus asked.

"I say the same thing I tell you. I don't have to justify who my friends are and why," I said and I turned and walked away. It was the end of the conversation and I headed into the girls' washroom. I wasn't entirely sure that I had time for a shower, but I didn't see any other way of getting the slime off. I grabbed my wand and tried to siphon it off. Large globs of it spilled off and ran to the drains. At least Moaning Myrtle would have something fun to play with while she played in the drains.

It was gross, but I managed to get it all off of me. If I had been thinking, I might have jarred it for later. You never know when you might need a jar of slime. I didn't think like a Marauder, though, not then, and all the slime washed away. I redressed in a clean uniform and made it to Transfiguration before I was counted tardy. Professor McGonagall looked at my essay with a curious expression but didn't comment on the streaks where there had been slime. James turned in his seat and looked at me.

"Lily, I swear, I didn't even think about you standing there when I threw the…" James whispered rapidly.

"Mr. Potter, detention," Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"YES! I win!" I cheered loudly before thinking about it. Alice giggled from behind her hand, digging in her pocket for one of the two galleons. Sirius, no doubted, would get detention before the day was out, but until then, I had only earned half of my winnings.

"Lily Evans, detention," Professor McGonagall choked out, as if she had never thought to say those words together in the same sentence. I looked up in shock, mid cheer.

"Detention?" I asked in a squeak of a voice. I couldn't believe it. I got detention too.

"Yes," the professor said and she turned her back and headed straight to her desk with our essays in hand. I stayed in a slack-jawed shock for a good five minutes. I felt something ooze down my cheek and I instinctively wiped it away with my hand. Glancing at the clear liquid on my hand, I realized that I was crying. I buried my head in my arms and hid away from the world, just for that class period. It was the first, last, and only time that Professor McGonagall didn't demand her classes' full attention. She let me silently cry into my arms and drew no attention to me.


End file.
